Italy - advice needed!

[ollyw]

Hi,
me, my partner, and our 2 year old daughter are going camping in our bell tent for a couple of weeks in August. We were looking at the North of Italy, around Lake Garda possibly.

If anyone could recommend some campsites it'd be much appreciated. Looking for somewhere that isn't too 'touristy', but still has reasonable facilities etc..

Thanks,
Olly.

 

[woof]

Can't help you. but have just got back from the travel agents after looking at the same area, enjoy your holiday.

Rob

 

[Andy BB]

Let us know what you find! ONe of my daughters is getting married at Lake Garda next year, and us guys are looking at a week's road-trip - a sort of rolling stag-night

 

[Bigfoot]

The only tip I can give you is learn some Italian, even the basics. The locals will respect you for it.

The Italian lakes area is beautiful. I spent a bit of time there many years ago but wasn't camping.

 

[Robbi]

we were at lake Garda last year, it's hellishly expensive !

if you look at a large scale map you will find a number of reasonable campsite a few Km north of Malchesnie (sp ? ) on the lake side, they looked ok as we drove past

Do Not go on a day trip to Venice without a second mortgage ! 18 euro for an expesso in St Marks square, add another 7 euro if you want to sit down and drink it !! A gondala trip in the smelly crumbling back allyways was 120 euro for 20 minits !

why the hell italy is going bust i'll never know !

 

[salad]

If you dont want touristy , then dont camp on a lake Garda camp site. Lake Garda is a tourist hot spot all around it.
From what I have seen there they are mostly caravan parks with a small bit of space for tents.

You should send a pm to Alfredo (A member here) he lives in the North of Italy and may be able to give some good advise

 

[Robbi]

nope, there are loads and loads of tent camp sites, we used to go by them every day for a week, most of them are in olive groves and look quite good, very few caravans in fact.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

We normally go to the top end, Torbole, to rock climb (arampacata) , via ferrata, Mtn bike and windsurf. About 11-12 the Katabatic wind blows up. The humidity and heat is rampant in August. Sometimes we have three showers a day !

When camping you can be up at 6.30am due to the humidity waking you up.

It is very developed and at the top end at Torbole very busy but you can wlak along the shoreline there. we camp in tents so are squeezed in. Bascially everywhere is full there in August as the Italians, Dutch and Germans have booked the pitches.

But, if you drive 3km ish inkand to Arco, you will find lots of spaces in sites. It';s hotter here and even the wind can be a hairdryer.

It's bootiful area with huge mountain scapes around. Easy day trips up to the Dolomites.

North of ARCO a few km is a cheap discount 'supermercati'

So expect it to be busy but warm lake and hot sun !

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

PS There are two sites in Arco , the CAMPEGGIO ARCO and the CAMPEGGIO Zoo, the zoo is a cheaper facility aimed at climbers and groups of, the owner sells chilled beer. And the one nearer the town with better facilities but noisy etc. Lovely Pizzas just outside the campsite entrance near the municipal pool.

About twenty mins drive up the hill from Riva is a nice wee lake for swimming and it's normally 10-15degs cooler up there. I think Torbole is a very safe place, after dark families and kids wander into town and it's very relaxed.

 

[Elines]

I think August is when most Italians have their holiday so you would be better to avoid it if at all possible

 

[Angst]

hi...i stayed at garda and como last year for a wedding....stunning!!!!!!!!!! not camping though sorry so the only bit of advice i can give you is that they are even stricter on knife law than here so dont try taking ya perang and woodie with ya unless you want a load of paperwork or cell-time lol.

have a great time and take spare memory cards for your camera. and get to lake como too. mindblowing.

a

ps....expensive is an understatement...5 pieces of ravioli....8 quid.

Let us know what you find! ONe of my daughters is getting married at Lake Garda next year, and us guys are looking at a week's road-trip - a sort of rolling stag-night

 

[rik_uk3]

Visited Garda but stayed at Lake Como some years ago, simply stunning places, very beautiful. I can remember so well a meal we had at a restaurant on the lakeside at Como

 

[Alfredo]

Hi Olly,
sorry for the delay in answering, I wasn't aware about your message, just jumped casually on the forum today.

Finding a nice place NON touristic in Touscany in August it's not so easy.
Anyway if you want to visit a beautiful part of this country and you don't want necessarily the sea, I have a good suggestions for you:
I strongly suggest this campsite http://www.parcodellepiscine.it/en/ in Sarteano (SI). I'm growth in a village (named Cetona), 6 km from this site, so I know it and the sourrinding area very well.
The campsite it's just beautiful and very clean as far as I know, I called them today and they ensured me that they have places for tents also in August (just shoot a phone call or a email some days before your arrival).
Sarteano is a nice village, whit a medieval castle and an interesting downtown. Going around for few kilometres, you ahve many things to visit and see.
I suggest to visit Cetona http://www.borghitalia.it/html/borgo_it.php?codice_borgo=699 one of the most 100 beautiful village in Italy,
Montepulciano http://www.montepulciano.org/ Pienza http://www.pienza.org/ Bagno Vignoni http://www.bagnovignoni.com/ Città della Pieve http://www.cittadellapieve.org/ you may go in all this small towns in 10-40 minutes from Sarteano.


If you like to walk, I suggest the very next area of Monte Cetona (this mountain it's well next to Sarteano and Cetona): here you will may visit the Convento of S. Francesco http://www.lodgingsinternational.com/lodgings/892-La_Frateria_di_Padre_Elgio.htm and the naturalistic park of Belverde http://grotte.toscana.it/parco_naturalistico_belverde.html (very good for your daughter, the personnel of the park will teach her and you about the style of life and techniques of the primitives inabhitants of the caves). In this area you also may eat very good food: pici con l'aglione (a kind of pasta), wild boar, fish ecc.

In August there are several historic festivals both in Sarteano, Cetona, Montepulciano ecc. also

Finally, if you want to visit a city just beautiful, I suggest to visit the town of Siena http://www.sienaol.it/ it's 90 minutes from Sarteano. Remember that on the 16th August in Siena there is the famous Palio, an historic festival very very old (1000 years approx), http://www.ilpalio.org/ just click on the video to see how it is.

Hope this help, just ask me for more informations,
regards
Alfredo

 

[ollyw]

Thanks very much for all the information Alfredo! I will check it all out and let you know how I get on.

Much appreciated,
Olly.